Bunker from World War II "Pilica Line 1944"

On a hill above the Pilica river in Inowłódz stands one of around a dozen German defensive structures erected in August 1944, when the Eastern Front paused briefly along this river. The position is part of a larger complex of fortifications on this hill, described in more detail below alongside neighbouring, already identified bunkers.

Pilica Line as a whole

Piliza Stellung, or the Pilica Line, was a German system of field fortifications built in 1944 along the western bank of the Pilica river, intended to form a barrier against the advancing Red Army after it reached the Vistula. Construction work along this defensive belt began in August 1944 and was to cover a section stretching from Wyszogród, through Bzura and Rawka, as far as the area around Nowy Sącz. Construction was ordered personally by Adolf Hitler, which shows how much importance the Wehrmacht attached to holding this line shortly before the end of the war.

Cluster of fortifications in Inowłódz

In Inowłódz itself, field research carried out in 2006 confirmed the existence of eleven fortification structures, concentrated mainly on the eastern part of the hill, near the Church of St Idzi. All lie on the northern bank of the Pilica and were connected by a network of trenches running across the hill. Some online sources give a figure of 22 structures, but this number probably refers to the entire Inowłódz municipality rather than the town itself, so the result of the 2006 field survey is more reliable.

What types of bunkers stood here

Among the eleven structures, researchers identified six Ringstand 58c gun positions (commonly called Tobruks), two Regelbau 701 bunkers intended for anti-tank guns, two passive Regelbau 668 bunkers, and one tank, most likely for fire-fighting purposes. Two of these structures, one Ringstand and one Regelbau 668, have separate descriptions: Combat bunker Ringstand 58c and Passive infantry bunker Regelbau 668. The entire complex, encompassing the remaining positions on this hill, is described in Complex of former German combat bunkers.

Practical information

• Address: 97-215 Inowłódz, hill by the Church of St Idzi.
• Access on foot from Inowłódz town centre in the direction of the church; open area with no marked walking route.
• The exact type of this particular position among the eleven structures on the hill is not specified here, and the area has no formal tourist signage. Before visiting, it is worth asking the municipality about the condition and accessibility of the structure.
• Expect a small concrete position, partly sunken into the ground, similar to other bunkers of this line in the area.